“I can see he’s much more confident” - What makes Enric Mas different in Vuelta challenge this time around as he holds red jersey?
CyclingTuesday, 08 September 2026 at 12:00
Enric Mas heads into the third and decisive week of the Vuelta a España 2026 as the clear leader of the general classification. The Movistar Team rider leads Felix Gall and Primoz Roglic by more than two minutes after showing outstanding form across the recent mountain stages.
For Chente García Acosta, sports director at the Spanish squad, one key to the Mallorcan’s level lies in the composure he shows both on the bike and within the team.
“He’s in a very good place. What I notice most is that he’s much more assured,” Chente told COPE.
Movistar Team’s director believes the clearest change in Enric Mas is not only in his legs, but in the confidence with which he tackles each stage. “He has massive self-belief and, above all, total trust and confidence in the team,” he stressed.
That confidence has spread to the rest of the squad. In recent days, Movistar Team has handled complex race situations and placed several riders alongside Mas at key moments.
Enric Mas at the Vuelta a España 2026.
For Chente, the atmosphere inside the team is one of the main reasons behind its current level.
“The team is a tight-knit unit—seriously tight—and that makes everything work better.”
Movistar stepped up when no one knew what to expect
Movistar Team’s situation shifted dramatically during this Vuelta. Tadej Pogacar’s withdrawal after Stage 8 opened up the general classification and turned Enric Mas into one of the main contenders for overall victory.
From that moment, doubts also emerged over whether Movistar could shoulder the load of a three-week race with their leader in red.
The team’s response on the road has been emphatic. “Yes, and we’ve shown our faces, each of us when needed,” he said.
The Spanish squad’s director feels Movistar has projected a particularly strong image during the second week, just as the responsibility on their shoulders increased sharply. “An exceptional team image,” he summed up.
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To explain what Movistar is experiencing, Chente even leaned on a football comparison. He recalled Spain’s recent triumph and used it to define the spirit his team is showing.
“If you take it to football, it’s what we saw a month and a half ago with the World Cup win, right?” he noted.
His point is simple: the results are coming thanks to contributions from the entire squad, not only from Enric Mas. “In the end it’s all about the team, the team, and pushing forward together. When one can’t, another steps up.”
That philosophy has been most evident in the recent stages. Raúl García Pierna, Pablo Castrillo, and the rest have taken on varied duties to protect the red jersey, while Mas has answered on the final climbs with attacks that have steadily extended his lead.
Movistar faces the decisive week
With more than two minutes on Gall and Roglic, Enric Mas now approaches the decisive part of the Vuelta in a far stronger position than when he first took the red jersey.
But Movistar Team is not getting ahead of itself. The third week will still demand the maximum from every rider, and the team must maintain the cohesion that brought it this far. For Chente, however, one fundamental difference separates this moment from others: confidence.
Enric Mas trusts his teammates, his teammates trust him, and the team delivers every time the race demands something extra. That unity, according to Movistar Team’s director, is one reason why the Spanish squad has turned an unexpected scenario into a historic opportunity.
With that mindset, Movistar Team will tackle the final week of La Vuelta. And with an Enric Mas who, says his director, is projecting a level of assurance he has never shown like this before.
Jorge BorregueroWriter
Jorge Borreguero is a journalist with a degree from the Complutense University of Madrid and has been a writer for Cyclinguptodate and Ciclismoaldia since early 2023. In this role, he has played a key part in the evolution of the website, particularly as a specialist covering Movistar Team. He regularly writes race reports, analytical pieces, and in-depth features about the team, and has conducted exclusive interviews and attended multiple team presentations, providing readers with firsthand insights into one of the leading professional cycling squads.
Throughout his career, Jorge has maintained a strong focus on sports journalism, gaining experience across a variety of disciplines, including basketball and football. However, his current work is almost entirely dedicated to cycling, contributing extensively to Ciclismoaldia and its sister website Cyclinguptodate. For these platforms, he combines thorough research with detailed reporting to deliver high-quality content, ranging from race previews and results to expert analysis of teams and riders.
Jorge’s reporting is marked by accuracy, depth, and a commitment to providing readers with reliable and authoritative information. His direct engagement with teams, athletes, and events ensures that his coverage reflects firsthand knowledge and professional insight. Through his work, he has established himself as a trusted voice in professional cycling journalism, bridging the gap between the sport and its global audience while maintaining rigorous editorial standards.
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